The University of New Haven said it's partnered with a California organization called New Engineering University to develop curriculum aimed at launching a "Big Data" degree.

The partners are aiming to create a one-year master's degree of engineering in Palo Alto, Calif. UNH would award the degrees if Connecticut and California regulators approve the curriculum.

The program is targeted at meeting the needs of employers, who have reported difficulty filling engineering positions. In 2012, U.S. companies reported leaving 1.7 million cloud-related jobs unfilled. The sector is expected to produce 14 million jobs by 2015, according to NEU and UNH.

The curriculum partnership also aims to fill half its student seats with women, a challenge in a field where just 11 percent of employees are female.